Fire-escape.



D. G. HIBBARD.

FIRE ESCAPE. APPLICATION FILED MARJQ. 1914.

Patented Jan. 5, 1915.

19 3 2 SHEBTSSHEET 1 E IEEQ: L I E11 THE NORRIS PETERS CQ, FHUTO-LITHQ,WASHINGTON, D. C

D. G. HIBBARD.

FIRE ESCAPE.

APPLICATION FILED MAR.12, 1914 1,123,295, Patented Jan.5,1-915 2SHEETS-SHEET 2.

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E IEiQE' v THENORRIS PETERS 50., PHOTO-LITHO, WASHING/ON, D. C.

DALVIN C. HIBBARD,-OF SEATTLE, WASHINGTON.

FIRE-ESCAPE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 5, 1915.

Application filed March 12, 1914. Serial No. 824,201.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, DALVIN C. HIBBARD, a citizen of the United States,residing at Seattle, in the county of King and State of Washington, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Fire-Escapes; and I dohereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact descriptionof the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to whichit appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to new and useful improvements in fire escapes andresides in the provision of a flexible ladder that may be quickly andeasily let down from the window of a building and as easily wound upon adrum, forming a part of the invention, when not in use.

An important object of my invention is to provide a fire escape of thecharacter described which comprises a flexible ladder that isconstructed in a novel form so that strength, durability and extremelightness is provided thus enabling women and children or weak personsto operate the escape so as to have expeditious escape from a burningbuilding.

An important object of my invention is to provide a novel form of rungconstruction for the ladder forming a part of my invention which enablesthe provision of a light ladder and one that may be readily wound upon awinding drum in such a way that entanglement of the ladder is preventedand ready letting down of the ladder from a window is permitted.

Another important object of my invention is to provide a fire escape ofthe character described which is simple as to construction, reliable andeflicient in operation, capable of being readily installed in buildingsand houses and which is cheap to manufacture.

The above and additional objects are accomplished by such means as areillustrated in the accompanying drawings, described in the followingspecification and then more particularly pointed out as claimed.

With reference to the drawings, wherein I have illustrated the preferredembodiment of my invention as it is reduced to practice, and throughoutthe several views of which similar reference numerals designatecorresponding parts; Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view of a buildingshowing my improved fire escape attached and in operative position, alsoone side of the winding drum broken away to show a portion of theflexible ladder wound up on the drum, Fig. 2 is a front elevation of myimproved fire escape, Fig. 3 is a fragmentary side elevation of theladder showing the construction and arrangement of the rungs, Fig. 4 isa detail top plan view of one of the rungs and connecting plates, Fig. 5is a cross sectional view taken through the central portion of one ofthe rungs and cooperating parts showing a portion of the flexibleelements connected therewith, and Fig. 6 .is a detail view of a modifiedform of rung construction wherein the elements are separate as opposedto the integral as shown in the preferred form.

Referring to the drawings by characters of reference A represents thewall of a building provided with a window B and floor C.

A winding drum designated 1 as an entirety having its shaft 2 mounted intwo pair of upright bearing standards 3 is disposed upon the floor Cadjacent to the window B. Suitable fastening means 4: inserted throughangular lugs or flanges 5 on the lower end of the standard 3 serves tosecure the standard to the floor C. One end of the shaft 2 is squared toreceive a crank handle 6.

A ladder designated 7 as an entirety and of the flexible type is securedat one end in any suitable manner to the drum 1 and arranged to be woundthereon. The sides of the ladder 7 consist of a plurality of flexibleelements designated 8 and 9 and which in this instance are illustratedas chains.

Connecting the ends of the flexible elements or chains are rectangularconnecting plates 10 formed of any suitable material and providedadjacent each end with openings 11 to receive the end links 12 of thechains 8 and 9. The connecting plates 10 are flat and disposed to lie inthe same plane as the flexible elements 8 and 9 when the ladder 7 is inits extended position.

Rungs 13 are connected with the plates 10 and disposed in spacedrelation thereto in a plane approximately at right angles to the planeof the flexible elements and plates. The rungs 13 comprise rods or barsof some suitably light metal that have their ends bent to provide rightangular extensions 14, said extensions being preferably formed integralwith the plates 10 at points approximately centrally of the longitudinaledges of the plates 10 and adjacent to the end edges thereof. It will bereadily seen, that v and I insures an expeditious unwinding of theladder 7. 5 'It WilL-bereadily seen with reference to the foregoingdescription and accompanying'drawingsthatl have provided a simple andinexpensive fire escape-whichiis strong '"and durable'and yet extremelylight. In case-of ire thepersons seeking escape from the building-simplyhave to place the free end of *the" ladder out ofthe window B. andallow:- the same to iunwind from :the drum or if necessary pull theladder fromthe drum and allow it to drop toithe ground; I

With "particular reference to Fig. 6 -wh'erein-I have shown amodifiedy-form of rung construction, the numeral l5. designates aconnecting plate similar to the ones '10. Secured to theplate l5'1'is arung 16 similar-to'the -ones 13 but having its ends enlarged at pointsslightly spaced .from the ends and then'reduced to provide extensions'17- which are inserted through openings in the'plate 15= and mashed toact. as rivets. Plates 18 h'aving apertures adjacent the ends-thereofare securedtransversely of the plates 15 adjacent the ends thereof theextensions 1 7', said extensionsv extending through-a central aperturein the plates 18.

The end openings in the plates1-8 receive the end links of the chainsafter the same manner-as employed in thepreferred form. This modifiedform enables ready assembling and disassembling of the ladder and insome instances mayprove more desirable .than the integral:constructionembodied in the preferred form. i I 1 w In practice, I have found thatthe. form =of my invention, illustrated in the drawings and referredto-in the above description, as the-preferred embodiment, is the mostefficient and practical yet'realizing-that the conditions concurrentwith the adoption of right angles -to the vertical my device willnecessarily vary, I desire to emphasize the fact that various minorchanges in details of construction, proportion and arrangement of partsmay be re- "sorted to, when required, without sacrificingany of theadvantages of niy-invention. asset, forth.;. f:..

What is claimed is 1. A fire escape. comprisinga flexiblelad- .der, saidladdencomprising ;a;-plur ality' of flexible; side elements, transverse,connectmg plates loosely.connectedwitlrthe ends of said side .flexible;elements and disposed in a similar. plane to said flexible elementsandrungs .carried *by Said connecting iplates,

said. erungs, comprising bars having said portions disposed in spacedparallel, relation: toisaid connecting plates, and having rightangularly disposed endsextending at plane ofsaid connecting .-p1ates.wa. I w

;:2. A fire escape comprising .a, ladder consisting .of a plurality; of;flexible side elements, flat transversely; arranged connectingiplatesloosely connected withgthefends of sand side elements; andj arranged nspaced relation. .to each other, saidplates having openings at .each endto receive the ends of-.-said flexible; elements, rungs secured to; said.plates 'and having; mid portions disposed in; spaced'p arallel relationthereto, said rungs having right angularlybent terminals at pointsapproximately centrally-o f the longitudinal.:edges;-.of' the platesadjacent the endedges; thereof. i I

ture 'n presence of two witnesses. I e a. DALVIN. C. HIBBARD.

MCCLURG.

Copies of this patent may be obtained f or five cents eachaby addressingthe (ioiii ai ssfoner of P a ten ts,

l 1 -T-Washington,'D.C.-

extending atri'ghtan-gles tothe-planeofsaid 1 plates; and.:,-operatively connected; therewith

